Thomas ii



T. H. BOLLS.

TOY PUZZLE.

(No Model.)

No. 435,790. Patented Sept. 2. 1890.

I mp

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. BOLLS, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TOY PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,790, dated September 2, 1890.

Application filed May 3, 1890. Serial No. 350,511. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BOLL'S, of IVashington, in the District of Columbia,

' have invented certain Improvements in Toy Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to toy puzzles de signed for bodily manipulation; and it consists, primarily, of an elongated disconnected body provided in its surface with a groove or guide winding about the same and at the end of the groove with a pocket or socket, the latter being adapted to receive and hold a ball or equivalent object, and the groove being adapted to guide the same in its passage from one end of the body to the other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my toy puzzle in its most approved form. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line :20 0c of the preceding figure. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my toy puzzle in a modified form.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a body A, preferably of circular form in cross-section and of any suitable material. with a groove a, which extends in a spiral path from one end of the body to the other end, making in the present case a three-quarter turn.

At each end the groove communicates with pockets or sockets Z) Z), formed in laterallyextending plates 0 O, suitably attached to the ends of the body A. The spiral groove is designed to form a guide or channel for a ball or other rolling object D, and the pockets are adapted to receive the ball on the completion of its passage through the groove.

The object of the toy is to cause the ball to pass from one end of the body to the other in the groove and without leaving the same.

In operating the device it is held in a substantially-horizontal position with one end of the groove uppermost. The ball is then placed in the socket adjacent to the end of the groove which is uppermost. The body is then slightly elevated to cause the ball to gravitate, and at the same time it is given a slight twist, which combined motions will This body is provided in its surface cause the ball to move in the groove and be received in the pocket at the opposite end of the body.

While simple in construction and apparently in operation, it has been found that considerable skill and accuracy of movement is required to cause the proper passage of the ball.

YVhile I do not consider it absolutely necessary to employ a pocket at each end of the groove, I deem it preferable, as the ball can be caused to move successively in opposite directions and to be received alternately in the pockets at the opposite ends of the body. The manipulation of the device in this manner will require the exercise of greater skill than if the ball were caused to move in one direction only. As shown in Fig. 3, the body portion is provided at one end only with a pocket, and the groove terminates a slight distance from the end of the body opposite 0 to that at which the pocketis located. By giving to the spiral groove a greater or less pitch the skill required for properly manipulating the ball will be accordingly diminished or increased.

In order to prevent the ball from dropping to the floor in the event of its leaving the groove during the operation of the toy, I confine the ball by means of a cord E of a length sufficient to admit of the free movement of 8a the ball. This cord is of a length suflicient to permit the ball to move freely from one end of the groove to the other. I do not, however, consider this cord an essential feature of the invention, as it can be entirely omitted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A toy puzzle comprising an elongated disconnected body provided with an open 0 groove winding about the same in a longitudinal direction, a supporting-pocket at one end of the groove, and a free ball to traverse the groove, whereby the device is adapted for bodily manipulation to cause the ball to traverse the groove.

2. The cylindrical disconnected body portion provided with the open spiral groove in its surface and the supporting-pockets at opposite ends of the groove, in combination with the free ball to traverse the groove.

3. The combination, with the cylindrical body portion designed for bodily manipulation, )rovided with the open spiral groove and the lateral supporting-pockets at opposite ends thereof, of the free ball to traverse the groove.

4. The toy puzzle comprising an elongated body designed for bodily manipulation and provided with an open shallow spiral groove of great pitch, lateral supporting-pockets at the ends of the groove, and a free ball to traverse the groove.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 2d day of May, 1890, in the presence of two attesting-witnesses.

THOMAS H. BOLLS.

Witnesses:

W. R. KENNEDY, F. STANLY ELMORE. 

